Bouncing Off The Walls
by Candy Bar Wrapper
Summary: PreRENT. Mark and Roger kiddie friendship. Roger manages to get both boys into trouble by accident with another child. What happens when two mischievous kids cross paths?


**Summary:** PreRENT, takes place during Day Camp. Roger and Mark friendship. Roger manages to stuble upon a situations and both boys risk getting in trouble.

**Spoilers:** Roger has trouble tying shoes  
**Warnings:** ohmigosh Roger and Mark are best friends!  
**Disclaimer:** Here's for the sake of saying it.. A talented man, Jonathan Larson owns RENT and the characters.

**Reviews:** Are the best thing I could ask for! One of my first fanfics, any kind of feedback is appreciated. Advice, ideas..anything.

**Thanks in advance for reading. :)**

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The eight year old fussed around with his blue shoelaces, retying a knot that has come undone. Jammed into a corner of the shared closet, he sat on the lightly bage carpeted floor, underneath coats placed neatly on the hangers by the councilors. "Oh man!" he exclaimed, making a fist and punching the air in front of him. Giving up, he fell against the wall and sighed. "Never gonna get this 'ight.." he whined letting go of both laces and stomping his feet in annoyance. As impatience overcame him, he decided it was about time to demand help. Seconds later as he was peeking through the coats and out of the closet, he caught the eye of his best friend, Mark, on the other side of the busy room filled with children from all over. He stood by the window with a clueless look on his face, looking around in confusion. His eyes widened when he saw Roger, peering out of the closet. A precise moment later, Mark was running towards him, cautious of the other children, trying not to trip over anyone, or anything. Halfway through he stopped and resumed in a fast walk, figuring it was safer that way.

"Whacha doin', Rog?"-he finally asked short of breath, reaching his destination. Falling onto the ground, he crawled into the closet , moving the other children's shoes out of the way until he found a spot next to his friend.

"It's this shoe. It won't tie." he shrugged and sighed as if to emphasize his 'struggle'. "I've tried. The loop is broken."

Shifting over to get a look at the problem, Mark took the laces from his friend's hands into his. Bobbing his head from side to side, he hummed the bunny loop song, a method taught to him by his mother, while attempting to fix Roger's shoe. Pulling onto the ends, he finally exclaimed, smiling wide. "There! I've fixed the loop!"

Examining his shoe from side to side, Roger smiled in return, excited. "Thanks!"

Mark nodded in return, wanting to ask why they were sitting in a closet, but before he had the chance Roger ran out pulling onto Mark's hand, who stumbled but remained standing.

"Gotta show ya somethin'! Cooooome on!", he insisted, continuing to run, tackling the other children out of the way. It was play time, and the kids gathered around in the room doing whatever while the parents went out and enjoyed life without the little trouble makers.

'Day Camp, Rog. Sounds like fun!' Mrs. Davis insisted just a few days before and before her son could protest she brough tup buying him the toy truck he'd been asking for. At the mention of a new toy, Roger nodded and had no other choice but to go. Mark, on the other hand, skittish at first agreed without further questions when told that his best friend would be there as well.

As the two boys raced through the room, Roger pulling Mark by the hand, recklessly pushing his way through the other children. There were a few protesting, but he dismissed them, continuing to run, pulling Mark behind him. Just as his eyes landed on their destination, out of nowhere a small foot appeared, wearing a bright red shoe tripping Roger. The two friends both came crashing down onto the small girl who the foot belonged to. Ruthlessly pulling himself and his friend off her, Roger stood up in confusion. The lips of the girl quivered as if she was ready to burst into tears. Mark took a step backwards wide-eyed at the whole situation, he managed an "uh oh" but not much else as he stood aside biting his lip. Roger remained still, hands in fists.

"Girls!" he scoffed making a face at the small girl, who remained on the ground. Sitting up, she scrunched her nose at the boy in front of her.

"Oh man... she's gonna cry!"

Instead, fixing her small burgundy skirt and getting up to her feet, she giggled and spoke in an assured voice. "I will, or I won't." She smirked slightly bobbing her head from side to side, eyes fixed on Roger.

"You tripped me.", he blamed.

Knowing she had, she arched her brows and shot back an answer.

"Nuuuuh..ye fell on me. And I'm gonna tell." Opening her mouth wide as if to yell for an adult, she stopped giving Roger a look, as if to say 'whacha gonna do?'

Mark stumbled forwards and quietly mumbled to his best friend. "I don't want to get in trouble, Rog." Biting his lip, he remained looking at him friend for help. "Dooo something."

Reacting fast, the older boy stepped forward and clasped his hand over the mouth of the girl. She let out a muffled scream before sinking her teeth into his hand. Getting the message, he pulled away his hand away in pain and raised a fist in intimidation.

She let out a whimper, followed by a wide toothy smile to show she wasn't one bit scared. Angered, Roger growled and stepped forward. Mark gasped and backed away, stumbling over a toy truck and landing himself on the carpet in agony. Before Roger could take one more step, she grimaced at him and raised her small foot to kick him. Arching it back in need for power, eyes filled with childish rage she stuck out her tongue. One step ahead of her, Roger grasped her foot causing the girl to fall over backwards. Mark peered through his fingers, hands covering his face.

As Roger held onto her foot, her shoe slid off as she attempted to twist away from him.

He laughed dangling the small red sandal in the air above her. Motioning for his friend to follow, he raced through the room towards the gigantic fish tank. It stood atop a big wooden chest, and all children knew they weren't supposed to near it.

"I'm gonna toss it!" he threatened, holding the shoe near the tank. He couldn't quite reach the top but could managed to throw it in.

Getting up to her feet, the girl quickly followed, cheeks flushed with anger as she ran towards the boys. Attempting to jump to 'rescue' her shoe from it's miserable fate, as Roger continued to dangle it in the air above her, she fell back to the ground hopelessly. Bursting into tears, her lips quivered as before only this time she really was crying. Mark gasped, watching the whole thing with his mouth wide open in shock. His eyes darted back and forth from Roger to the girl, and back to the fish tank. Pouting his lips, he gazed up at his accomplice. " She's really crying now! Give it back, Rog."

As much as he wanted to protest, he lowed the shoe, tossing it at the ground in front of the girl, before she could get to it he stepped on one of the buckles with his foot.

"Why'd you trip me?" he intergraded her, wanting the question answered before she got what she wanted. Twisting her long, wavy auburn hair around her finger, she examined him for a moment.

"Just wanted _ta _play." Came a quick response.

Shifting his foot, Roger stepped back as if keeping his promise to his best friend, who was clearly terrified of the whole situation and the possibility of trouble. As Roger backed away, Mark stepped forward instead. Nervously, biting his nails, he decided to try and fix the situation.

"I'm Mark!", he proclaimed with a wide smile, pointing to his right he finished, "And he is Roger."

The girl nodded, buckling her sandal back onto her foot, she pushed herself up from the ground. "Mimi" she stated, smirking in return.

"Friends?" Marks questioned, interrupted by the other boy.

Roger crossed his arms, shacking his head. "No way.. She cried."

Taking another moment to look back at the situation, Mimi came back with an answer, speaking as assuredly as before. "Got my shoe back, didn't I?"

She quickly stuck out her tongue before turning around and running away back across the room. Eyes widened in disbelief, a trait Mark always tended to have, Roger looked over to his friend before resuming the chase after the newfound friend.

Mark scrunched his nose and sighed, he knew well enough that hanging out with the two would be sure to be him in trouble. Shrugging his shoulders, Mark ran after them both. "Guys! Guys! Wait!.."

_Umph!_

Eyes fixed on his disappearing friends ahead he wasn't watching where he was headed.

Tripping over something, he fell face flat onto the ground. Locating his glasses ahead of him he pushed them up onto his nose before trying to figure out what caused the fall.

Off to his right sat a small girl holding her knee in pain.

He felt his eyes begin to widen with terror.

"Uh oh. Not again."

Whimpering at the whole situation. A time out was the last thing on his mind.

Before realizing what was happening, he got up to his feet and scurried over into the same direction as before after Roger and Mimi, panicking. "Rog, waaaait!"


End file.
